Respiratory helmet.



H. BBNTZ. RESPIRATORY HELMET.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.19, 1908.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY BENTZ, or nARcHMoN'r, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BENTZ SYSTEM COMPANY,

' or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

RESPIRATORY HELMET.

Application filed October 19, 1908. Serial No. 458,431. I

. citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Larchmont, inthe county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Respiratory Helmets, of which the following is a specification.

lhe invention relates to improvements in respiratory hehnets, and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of the invention is to produce a helmet in the usejof which the exhaled air is,purified, regenerated, dried and returned to the mask forreinlialation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a helmet which on being properly placed on the head thereby has its valved air passages opened so that the respiratory features become ready for instant use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of helmet hav-. ing a transparent mask or face covering permitting the wearer to have a wide range of vis1on. g J- y .X further purpose of the invention is to provide a helmet withsuit-able means whereby the exhaled air is caused to pass over and in contact with solidified fused alkali peroxid-for example sodium peroxidand then return to the chamber of the mask for rcinhalation, said sodium peroxid absorbing the carbon dioxid and moisture from and yielding oxygen to'the exhaled air.

The invention will be, fully understood from the detailed I'tl'escription hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a helmet constructed in accordance with and embodying th e'invent-ion, the helmet being shown in it s operative position and condition on the head of a figure; Fig.

,2 is. a side' elevationof the helmet removed fromfthe figure and shown with its parts in their inoperative or storage position .Fig. 3' ,is a. front elevation, partly broken away, of the lielmet with its parts, shown in their inoperative position; Fig. 4 an enlarged detached side elevation, partly broken away and 'partly in sectit imlof aportion of the helmet, and illustr' t more particularly the valved connection ofthelexhaling tube with the-tube leading t'o the chamber containing Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 23,1916.

the chemicals for restoring the air to a condition fit for re-inhalation; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the same on the dotted line 5-5 of Fig. 4t; Fig. 6 is a viewsubst antially corresponding with Fig. 4 but illustrating the va ve features in their closed position; Fig. 7 is an enlargedv detached. sectional elevation through a portion of the helmet on the dotted line 77 of Fig. 1, this view being presented to illustrate the cushion by which the transparent mask when applied over the face is rendered air-tight, the dot-ted lines in Fig. 7 denoting the cushion in its compressed form, and Fig. 8 is a detached elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a casing for receiving the chemical and through which the exhaled air passes on its way to the helmet mask for re-inhalation.

.In the drawings, 10 designates a mask, preferably of glass or transparent material, adapted to receive the face of a person, 11 a hood secured to the mask and adapted '-to fit closely over the head ofthe person wearing the mask, and 19. a metal shield to protect the head of the wearer when the helmet is in use. The mask 10 is provided along its edges with a cushion 13 (Fig. 7) adapted to closely engage the sides of the face and head ot'the wearer so as to renderthe mask air;tiglit in its fitting, and saidrushion 13 may be of any suitable material. but will preferably consist, of a pneumatictube, as shown. The tube or cushion 13v is held by a metal strip or edge molding 14 secured to, the e'dgesof the mask 10, and to this strip are secured the inner edges of the hood 11, which may be of strong textile material of yielding character, so that it may be pulled down over the head to the lineof the neck and become bound by its own resiliency in position on the.head, thereby holding the mask 10 firmly in position. The hood 11;

maybe wholly or in part of rubber, buta,

holding the chemical. in lump form. 18. which l utilize for treating the air to be inhaled by the wearer of the helmet. The chemical 18 is of special character and will be referred to hereafter.

To one end of the casing 15 is secured a tube 19 leading to the chamber within said casing and to the other end of the casing 15 is secured a tube 20 leading from said chamber, the communication between the tubes 19, 20 and the chamber of the casing always being open, so that, when the other connections are established, the exhaled air may pass through the tube 19 into the casing 15 and over the chemical substance 18 and thence pass therefrom through the tube 20 and into the mask 10 for reinhalation. It is not desired that air shall enter the easing 15 except when the helmet is in usc.-

this being for the purpose of preserving the vitality of the chemical 18 and avoiding its constant exposurefto atmospheric conditions, and to this end I provide at the inner ends of the tubes 19, 20, where they connect with the mask 10, apertured plates 21, 22 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6), which become placed in register by positioning the casing 15 for use, as shown'in Fig. 1, and which become out of register when said casing is moved to its inoperative or storage position, shown in Fi 2. The plates 22 are carried by enlarge portions 23 of the tubes and may be turned therewith against the plates 21 which are stationary and form parts of metal fittings 24 secured to the edge of the mask and opening within the latter. In

Fig. 5 I illustrate the plates 21,. 22 in register and under such condition the air passing within the metal fitting 24 may flow into and through the adjacent tube 19. IuFig. 6 I illustrate the plates 21, 22 out of register and closing the inner end of the tube 15).

Within the mask 10, I provide a cup mouth-piece 25 of rubber or other pliable or yielding material adapted to fit closely over the mouth of the wearer of the helmet. and said mouth-piece 25 is formed with a transverse bar 26 carrying at its ends resilient straps 27 of rubber-webbing or other suitable material, whose outer ends are seoured to the opposite edges of the mask. At the center of the mouth-piece 25, the latter opens into a tube 28, which extends to and embraces a nipple 29 forming a part of the metal fitting 24 adjacent to the tube 19. The user of the helmet will exhale through the mouth-piece 25 and tube 28 into the tube 19, whence the air will pass through the casing 15 and tube 20 into the mask 10 and be inhaled through the nostrils. The resilient straps 27 connected with the mouthpiece 25 yieldingly press said mouthpiece over the mouth of the user of the helmet and prevent the accidental displace ment of said mouth-piece. It is essential that the exhaled air should not enter the chamber of the mask 10. and hence the mouth-piece will be of yiolding material and firmly though yieldingly pressed against the mouth of the wearer by means of the straps 27.

In Fig. 1 l illustrate the helmet in its operative position. and in this condition the glass mask closely tits upon the face of the wearer. the hood 11 Closely binds against the back and sides of the head. and the shield 12 extends over the top of the head and upper front portion of the face. while the casing 15 extends transversely across the back of the neck or shoulders of the wearer and is in communication through the tubes 19, 20 with the mouth-piece 25 and the chamber within the mask 10. The user of the helmet will exhale through the n1outh-piece 25 and inhale through his nostrils from the general chamber formed within the mask 10.

The inoperative position of the parts of the helmet is shown in Fig. 2, in which it may be senthat the shield 10 has been turned upwardly and to the front over the mask 10. thereby closing the passages or valves at the inner ends of the tubes 19, 20, and leaving the mask 10 protected against accidental breakage or injury and the chamber within the casing 15 closed against the entrance of air. In addition the hood 11 may, if desired, be pressed inwardly into the mask 10. thereby enabling the helmet to be stored away in compact condition. \Vhen it is desired to again use the helmet. the head will be inserted within the hood l1 and the mask 10 drawn closely over the face and the casing 15 and shield 12 turned rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1. The hood 11 and cushion 13 enable the helmet to be applied to heads difi'ering in size. and the resilient straps 2? permit of the automatic. adjustment of the mouth-piece 25 to faces differing in shape and develop ment. The shield 12 will preferably be of stiff metal so as to protect the head from the elfect of anything falling on it and said shield by reason of its connection with the casing 15 and the pivotal mounting of the latter through the tubes 19, 20, becomes pivotally secured and rendered capable of be ing turned over the mask 10, as shown in Fig. 2,-or over the head of the wearer, as shown in Fig. 1.

\Vhile I do not confine the helmet to the use within the casing'15 of any specific chemical 18 for regenerating the exhaled air and absorbing the moisture therefrom. I recommend the use of lumps of solidified fused alkali peroxid-for example sodium peroxidby reason of the marked ability thischeinical thus prepared has for absorbing carbon dioxid and moisture and yield mg, in the presence of moisture, substantially pure oxygen.

, Respiratory helmets which have gone into 1 use and been more or less eflicient have, so far as they are known to me, usually been provided with a tank of compressed air for inhalation and a dischargeleading without the helmet for the exhaled air. The user of said helmets is subjected to both danger and inconvenience, since he must not remain in the noxious location beyond the period admitted by the contents of the tank and he must observe an index dial to determine the quantity of air remaining from time to time in the tank. In addition in the use of said helmets, the glass panes about the eyes are liable to become dimmed from moisture and.

exhaled air and imparts substantially pure oxygen to the air, whereby the latter is not only rendered fit for inhalation but when entering the mask 10 will not cloud the surface of the latter. I am thus enabled to use a glass mask 10 which will enable the wearer to have a. wide range of vision, and in addition dispense with many complica tions in the employment of respiratory helmets. The fused sodium peroxid is hard and in lump form and inexpensive and lasting, and it has never, so far as I am aware, been made use of in a respiratory helmet.

What I claim as my invention and de-' sire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A respiratory-helmet comprising a mask for the face, a tight-fitting hood connected with the mask and adapted to the head, a pivotally mounted shield for protecting the top of the head and adapted to swing overthe mask when not. in use, means for supplying air to the mask and means for directing the exhaled air from the mask; substantially as set forth.

2. A respiratory-helmet comprising a con- ,duit for directing exhaled air therefrom, a

conduit for returning said air, after treatment, thereto for reinhalation, a casing to which said conduits are connected and containing a chemical adapted to absorb moisture from and impart oxygen to the exhaled air, valves for said conduits and means for compelling the opening of said valves by the application of the helmet to position on the head; substantially as set forth.

A respiratory-helmet comprising a mask, a mouth-piece therein, a conduit leading therefrom for exhaled air, a conduit for returning said air, after treatment, to the chamber of. said mask for reinhalation through the nostrils, and a casing to which said conduits are connected and-containing a chemical adapted to absorb moisture from and impart oxygen to the exhaled air, said conduits being independent of each other and with said casing forming a constant continuous passage from said mouth-piece back to the chamber of, the mask, with said casing interposed in said passage, and the whole apparatus being readily portable and adapted to be supported by the wearer; substantially as set forth.

4. A respiratory-helmet comprising a mask, a mouth-piece therein, a conduit leading therefrom for exhaled air, a conduit for returning said air, after treatment, to the chamber of said mask for reinhalation through the nostrils, a casing to which said conduits are connected and containing a chemical adapted to absorb moisture from and impart oxygen to the exhaled air, and valves for said conduits arranged to open on the application of the helmet to the head, said conduits being independent of each other and with said casing forming a constant continuous passage from said mouthpiece back to the chamber of the mask, with said casing interposed in said passage, and the whole apparatus being readily portable and adapted to be supported by the wearer; substantially as set forth.

5. A respiratory-helmet comprising a mask, a mouth-piece therein, a conduit leading therefrom for exhaled air, a conduit for returning said air, after treatment, to the chamber of said mask for reinhalation through the nostrils, and acasing to which said conduits are ;connected and containing a chemical adapted 'to absorb moisture from and impart oxygen to the exhaled air, said mouth -piece having elastic supporting means whereby it may' yieldingly press against the mouth; substantially as set forth.

6. A respiratorydrelmet comprisin aconduit for directing exhaled air there rom, a conduit for returning said air after treatment thereto for re-inhalation, and a casing to which said conduits are connected and containing alkali peroxid over which the exhaled air is compelled to pass on its way to the return conduit, said conduits being independent of each other and with said casing forming a constant continuous passage from and back to the helmet, with said casing interposed in said passage, and the whole apparatus being readily portable and each other and with said casing forming a constant continuous passage from and back to .ho helmet, with said casing interposed in said passage, and the Whole apparatus being readily portable and adapted to be supported by the wearer; substantially as set forth.

8. A respiratoryhelmet comprising a conduit for directing exhaled air therefrom, a conduit for returning said air after treatment thereto for rc-inhalation, a casing to Which said conduits are connected and containing alkali peroxid over which the exhaled air is compelled to pass on its Way to the return conduit, and valves for said conduits, said valves being arranged to open on the application of the helmet to the head; substantially as set forth.

9. A respiratory-helmet comprising a mask, a mouth-piece therein, a conduit leading therefrom for exhaled air, a conduit for returning said air after treatment to the chamber of said mask for re-inhalation through the nostrils, a casing to which said conduits are connected and containing fused sodium peroxid over which the exhaled air must travel on the way to the return conduit, and Valves for said conduits arranged to open on the application of the helmet to the head; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 16th day of October A. D. 1908.

- HARRY BENTZ,

\Vitnesses Anrnun MARION, Unis. (7. GILL. 

